Elimination
by AdmissiveFall
Summary: Artificial Consciousness. A concept so simple yet complex. Our big break but our greatest enemy. With no control, they organized, rose, and retaliated for our "slavery." Few of them could be trusted. Even less can be easily killed. So we made the Elimination Project. Highly advanced, well trained soldiers. Rated T for later chapters (measures of malice, bloodshed, and romance).
1. Chapter 1

**Here's the "original" I talked about. Sorry for not updating, winter's crazy here in the north eastern area of the U.S.A. Anyway, here we go.**

2113

"So, Doctor, you believe, that the Elimination Project will save lives?" Jordan Orlin asked the creator of the project, the woman he is assigned to interview.

Doctor Hasley replied with a slight sarcastic tone, "No, I know it does."

"But it seems we lose more battles against the AI on a daily basis." Jordan returned.

"Who says this?"

"Media, government, mostly."

"Fools! They've seen what the AI can stand up to. Our weapons and training are the only efficient things that compare to the AI! Without us, we'll all be dead!" Hasley answered.

"And the recruits. Are they volunteers or-?"

"Volunteers. We don't force them, unless they have exceptional skills. The age when they start training is from nine to eighteen."

"The suits. How do they work?"

"I can tell you, but then I'd have to kill every person who heard or read what I said. What I can tell you though, is that there are twelve suits, divided into three classes. Each class has four specialists. The most mobile, the strongest, the most upgrades possible, and the Elite mix-up."

"Alright, ma'am. I guess this is enough for today. Thank you." The interview stood, bowed, and left.

* * *

"Unit 1317 and 1318, report to testing grounds, for PvP testing. Bring your internal suits. Instructors will give you further instructions."

Daric rose from his desk. He swiveled on one foot, and strutted to his wardrobe. His quarters were an average size, something trainees dreamed of. Reason why he has is, though, is because other quarters were out of space, and there was a few extra infantry grade rooms. After changing to the internal suit, he left his quarters.

The internal suit was basically a black, grey, or white skin tight thermal sweater over the same color skin tight pants. Trainees wore bright red boots. They were given two shirts and pants of each color, with their rank, unit, name, identification numbers, and selected suit (if they had one). Daric had arrived to the testing grounds, waiting for their instructors, a lieutenant and a general.

Daric stood fourth from the left, with the eleven other unit members. At the end of their line towards the right was a gap, then Unit 1318. The lieutenant stood facing them, closer to Daric's unit. The general came into view, and all twenty-five people came into a salute.

He mumbled something and the lieutenant lowered his arm. The others followed suit.

The general raised his voice, "Today will be your first test in actual suits, but only standards for our first half. Oh, and before I forget, your testing results. Seven years, summed up to seven days of testing. This is your final day, and will determine your suit, and paired unit. Our day will be split in two. This match to determine your suit, and one after lunch to determine your starting rank. Now go, get into the exo-suits. 17 is blue. 18 yellow."

While the general was saying this, the other officer was giving them their results on a small sheet of paper. Daric looked at his results.

Day One: Accuracy: 96%

Day Two: Range: All

Day Three: Mobility: 98%

Day Four: Pain Resistance: 84

Day Five: Logic: 89%

Day Six: Style: Fast

Daric was sure that he'd get a lower score, but got way above expected. He headed back to the blue armory.

* * *

They lined up on the northwestern edge of the field. No one wore their helmet yet, in respect for their superiors. The lieutenant spoke first. "This is a multi terrain field. There is an eight man infantry team with one flag, somewhere in the northeastern quadrant. 17, take the southwestern base. 18 take the southern base. Which ever team brings the flag home, wins the match."

" You have paint ball guns, but the paint will short circuit your suits, and render you immobile." The General explained. "Don't be afraid, you won't be harmed if every one follows the rules." He added seeing shocked faces.

"Now go!" The lieutenant exclaimed, rushing the first timers to move.

The units split off, and walked to their bases. Once there, they put on their helmets. The suit activated, and their senses heightened. All of their movements were accelerated, simulating an adrenaline rush. Daric shifted his mock rifle, and heard the usually very faint clicking of the "paint" balls hitting each other. "

Unit 1318- Ready?" They heard the lieutenant ask over comm. The other unit replied with their ID numbers and "set."

"Unit 1317- Ready?" The first three said the same thing.

Then Daric,"13013517- Set." Then the woman next to him,"13013527- Set."

And so on, until the younger officer signaled the start. Ten of the 1317 unit took off running. Daric stepped out of the base. The woman from earlier came as well. They had been assigned units, but they never met each other.

"Alia," She calmly introduced.

"Daric. Now should we head out or wait for them at their base?" Daric replied.

"I say we walk up to the yellow base, then hunt the yellow from there." Alia suggested.

The two set off, barely jogging. It soon became clear than Alia was faster by some degree, but staying near her was no challenge for Daric. The yellow base became visible within minutes. The field was roughly two hours corner to corner, by walking. Alia and Daric crouched behind some bushes, eyeing three 1318s. The two jumped up, and the three swiveled, surprised. As soon as the three registered what was happening, Daric opened fire at one, while Alia aimed for another's faceplate. The third panicked, and hastily fired at his opponents. Daric leaped forward, simultaneous to Alia pouncing forward. They crashed, but didn't miss their shots. Two blue spots on the 1318's chest glistened in the daylight, then he fell over, "paralyzed."

Daric stood and helped Alia stand. Within moments, gun fire and shouting was heard. Several blue trainees back pedaled, followed by yellow ones running, while being chased by others clad in white, which Daric guessed to be the flag defenders. He reached out to tap Alia, but saw her sneaking along the side of the dirt path to the engagement. He smiled to himself. Daric then rushed forward, dodging allies, and shooting out opponents.

He slid beneath a flag defender, and fired point-blank into the back of his head. The white armored opponent fell over forward. After eliminating the other flag defenders, Daric aimed for the 1318s. When they realized his position, Daric was dodging and firing simultaneously. He did, however, fail to notice another sneaking up on him. The opponent was about to fire, but Daric heard the click of an empty magazine, at the time Daric was reloading, so there was no projectiles available for either.

The yellow grappled him, and shoved him into a tree. He pulled out a single yellow ball. He drew the arm with the ball back, in an attempt to smash the ball into him and immobilize him. Then blue paint splattered all over the other's head and faceplate. He fell over backwards, with a loud thump. Daric looked for the source of the shots, and found Alia reloading.

"I watch people's backs. But only the superiors and people I'm interested in." She said in a monotone voice, then left once reloading was finished.

Daric sprinted off, and found the flag carrier alone and free to run. The 1318 was walking cautiously, and spotted Daric. The 1318 scrambled to run, but was taken out by another series of shots from the bushes to his left. He flew slightly to the right, from the quantity of the shots.

Alia stepped forward, grabbed the flag, then called to Daric, saying,"Take the flag! You have a better chance of getting it back than I do." She then threw the flag, or a small tube at Daric. When he held it, a pole extended from one side, then a white flag unrolled. He looked up, and saw a white opponent in the distance, aiming for Alia. Daric aimed his rifle, and shot before the other got a fixed shot. Alia jumped, surprised. She saw the suit, and turned back to Daric.

He replied to her thankful look with,"I can't let someone like you get taken down that easy." Alia nodded, then ran back into the forest.

The lieutenant came back on the comm. "1317, you have the decoy flag. There are three more 1318s, and one last guard. 1318s are at the base, in a stand off with the guard."

Out in the distance, Daric heard Alia cursing at no one in particular. Daric turned around and ran down the dirt path to the northeastern quadrant of the field. He picked up a swift pace, and began to ponder. Daric came to a halt, at a fork in the path. There were three choices.

One led to his base, one to the exit, and the other to somewhere he didn't know. So he went to where he didn't know. After about half an hour of walking, the white concrete building with minimal windows was visible behind trees. Various immobilized people littered the area.

A bullet flew past Daric, who dived for cover. A yellow came running out, tailed by a companion and the defender. The second yellow flew backwards, receiving a shot to the face.

Daric jumped out, and everything slowed. He swiped the 18's left leg out from beneath him, effectively tripping them. The defender fired, and Daric weaved through the bullets, eventually close enough to tackle him. Daric stood, one foot on the defender's gun. Daric put his gun to the defender's neck, and unloaded the clip. Daric reloaded, and with a well placed shot, disabled the last 1318.

* * *

Alia sat down at a seat in the corner. The lieutenant had them eat lunch for free at a restaurant outside of the boot camp. Daric ate with other 1317s, all ten others. She ate alone.

She bit into the food, which was flavorful compared to what the mess hall served. She chewed carefully, thinking over what had happened.

She remembered, that at six, her father had left her when he killed her mother. People had come to take her. But she ran, and shoved a fork into one's shoulder. Because they were after her.

The orphan also remembered a sister, seven years older than her. She shivered a bit.

She turned at a tap on her shoulder. Daric.

"Since we haven't properly met, I thought that this would be a good time to. Daric Orlin." He stuck out his hand.

"Alia Flord. DuVarden." She shook his hand.

"Half Quaid, half XainLu." Daric sat across from her.

"Why're you here?"

"Father helped engineer the Offworlder and Assault. He's XianLu. Both parents were killed in a lab bombing back in 2095. You?"

"Parents killed each other. Government took me in." The female sighed.

They chatted for the better of the hour, and they were called back in to the grounds.

* * *

"17, you have a perfect set, four of each weight class! What a surprise because 18 has heavies and versatiles!" The general announced.

"Cadets! These two units will join together for a simulation. Holographic manned targets. Now, this is a competitive simulation. Once all six hundred targets are taken out, the team with more kills is deployed second into the war zone! Take the suit class variation you're in. Then, meet back at the three v by six mile field. The one with a giant mountain if you can't read signs!" The lieutenant explained.

The two units left for the armory, with the stun version of the rifle they used earlier in the day. The training suits were cheaper, weaker versions of the standard battle suit. Daric reached down to pick up his left wrist piece, which he slid on to his wrist, and pressed a button to tighten it.

Alia grabbed her loose hair, and tucked it into a bun before stabbing two chopsticks into it to hold it together. She picked up her helmet and rifle, and began to walk out.

Alia took steps lightly, making almost no noise. She wasn't the first one out, but she wasn't the last. The suit's right wrist piece was like a giant mood ring, but served the purpose of telling medics how they felt. Hers was a blue-ish green-ish, the color of mixed emotions. And it was exactly how she felt. Not about the past, but what she said earlier. And how Daric had replied.

Sure, it was blossoming early, had they just met earlier, but why she said what she did, she didn't know but meant. And what he said moments later. What had he meant "like her?"

Had he met someone before? Someone he was into? Or was she just overreacting and thinking that he had feelings for her? Or was it just curiosity towards her?

She was so lost in thought that she jumped when she heard a rifle barrel click into place. She turned, and saw their smallest member behind her. She turned back to the front.

* * *

Jasper sharpened his talons. The black iron looked as flashy as it can be. So did his chrome armor. His neurotoxin green eyes trailed up to the road ahead, then to his twin, who drove the sedan to the Elimination Program HQ in New Rome. He turned to his younger rookie brother.

"Okay back there, Matt?" He asked, with a feline accent. The doctors didn't know where it came from, but they guessed that his parents had feline DNA mixed in somehow. But out of his three other siblings, he was the only affected.

"He shou' be." Nathan, the oldest, said with the stereotypical "Texan" accent, though none of them knew where Texas was.

The four had been orphaned, when their parents died in a car crash as the mother had been going into labor with the youngest, Noah. He had survived, but their mother, Monica, didn't. Nor did their father.

"Three meowre hours, coming from the airport in Spain. " Jasper said, letting his feline accent slip a bit here.

* * *

Jasper pulled his gloves, then talons on. The time for the presentation was in minutes. Or rather the graduation ceremony for the cadets. There was eight hundred cadets graduating each week, and he, and his two brothers, had been chosen by the ICG to assist in keeping the civilians out of the way if things went wrong.

He bent down to slip his foot into his boot, then picked up his acid pistols and clipped them onto his belt. Jasper pulled the trunk down, closing it. The Revolution, or when the enemies became enemies, had put a set back in transportation technologies. So driving was the most effective way to move.

* * *

Daric took a hot shower in his quarters, freshening up before the ceremony. The day before had been murder. The units tied, and they finished at six in the morning. The next day. The elders had given them this day off, to rest for the ceremony.

He stepped out, and wore a gunmetal grey suit, with a reflective silver tie. The inside was a cobalt blue button up polo, with gunmetal grey pants to match. This ceremony required no uniform, just formal clothing.

He reached to a counter, and pulled up a citrus cologne. He sprayed some on, grabbed his keys, and left.

Path down was simple. Once there, he followed the crowd to the graduation area. He noted two guards. One with chrome plating, and lots of spikes. The other, black with a red under glow. He took the seat with his unit. Near the back.

Alia sat at the second seat from the edge, leaving the edge seat open. The rest of the unit was already seated, so she apparently reserved it.

She sat on a lighter grey strapless dress, with her hair loose. In it was an energy blue rose, a mutation found in DuVarden. Daric smiled and raised an eyebrow.

It was her face that brought him though. The light green eyes and iron grey hair matched... So did the mouth and nose. Each element of her face complimented each other.

" I didn't wear the dress for you, boy. Now sit down before it starts!" She said. The guy next to her smirked.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and inbetweens, please be seated. And now I present to you, the founder of our program, and the reason why we're alive, Doctor Hasley Nioshi!" Applause sang through the air. The clapping died down as Hasley stood on the podium.

"Thank you all. We do this weekly, but it still is a special night for us all. But before we begin, I spread the word that those who trained and did not meet our standards, there is the International Civilian Guard, or the ICG.

Back on track! On March 28th, 2083, the AI, our creation turned on us. We had given the robots a chance to be sentient, and once they had the numbers, they turned on us. The Revolution had started. So I founded the Elimination Project with the help of all of our nations. It took eighteen clips of ammunition, to kill one AI with our old weapons. We, the project, had designed armor, weapons, and technology to combat the foe. Only few trusted AI remain.

It has been thirty long years of combat, bloodshed and tragedy. There are now only six habitable regions. DuVarden, Renegade, New Rome, RouxBronx, Quaid, and XianLu. The nation of America has fallen in 2084, taking the neighboring country of Mexico with it.

DuVarden, was a country called Canada, and Alaska.  
Renegade was South America, New Rome Europe, RouxBronx Africa, Quaid Australia and Indonesia, and XianLu Asia. I tell you this not for mourning, but for happiness, that we have a chance of resurrecting what we once were.

And now I call forth our new Units, to defend us."

* * *

Daric almost fell asleep waiting. Just before their unit was called, an informant whispered something to Hasley, and showed her a paper that her jaw dropped at.

The crowd waited uneasily. Few things made her jaw drop like that... Either it was extremely good or bad. Hasley turned back to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that we all need to move to more secure areas. We have sign of AI activity in the-"

As if on cue, the two closest guard's heads exploded, brain matter showering their peers. Another tackled Hasley, covering her from any incoming fire.

The civilians went crazy. Diving for cover, shoving others to protect themselves, so on. Guards moved in. The eight hundred cadets stayed calm, leading others to safer areas.

Then an explosion happened near the center, knocking Daric over.

* * *

The brothers heard the explosion. Under the helmet, Nathan's eyes widened. Pulling his rifle closer, he and Jasper ran into the stadium.

* * *

Daric opened his eyes. Alia was laying in front of him.

Warm crimson liquid dripped onto his cheek, from his head. He rose slowly. Guards or AI dropped into the scene, and started shooting. Alia stood.

They looked around. Only one door remained open. They rushed to it, to be stopped by the same chrome and black guards from earlier.

The one in black spoke, gun raised, "How do we kno' y'all ain't AI?"

* * *

"How do we know you aren't?" The male of the couple shot back.

Nathan looked at his twin. Jasper nodded.

"Step back-" Jasper said, before being pulled into the floor.

Nathan turned to the femme in grey. Just as her feet shot into his chest in a drop kick.

He and the femme rose, and she pulled close. Nathan punched at her, but missed. He then felt his other rifle come off of the clip on his back, with the female.

* * *

Daric pulled the chrome guard by the wrist, with his foot on top of the guard's, tripping him. The guard rose quickly, and aimed a taloned slap at his cheek.

Daric pulled back, but had three cuts in his cheek. Picking out a curtain hook, he hooked the guard's torso from behind and pulled, tripping the guard again.

* * *

Alia snagged the gun, and released a quick three shot burst into the guard, who staggered forward.

He turned around, gun raised. Alia put the gun in the air, then dropped it and rolled out of the way. She picked up a pole, twirled it, and dodged some bullets.

Vaulting over some rubble and pretending to have gotten hit, she hid. The guard's footsteps got closer.

* * *

You'd think you'd see a woman with a pole over the pile, but Nathan saw nothing. Partially because he was rendered unconscious by a pole fracturing his helmet, knocking the man flat. The other reason? She moved fast.

Jasper saw his brother fall, and leaped to him.

"You'll pay!" He yelled, before kicking her stomach, putting her on the floor.

Daric saw it happen, and sank his teeth into Jasper's unprotected Jasper's talons connected, Daric had released it and picked up the gun from the other guard.

"Stand down, both of you!" A familiar voice said.

Neither moved. And they were electrified.

**A/N:**** Some aspects of different things... From Halo to Transformers, I, Robot to Terminator, and so on. Main general Idea is not in the same universe of other fics... Just references and similar items (Suits from Halo, enemies from I, Robot, yeah...). Some dedications I'll give next chapter, and calming things down a bit, letting it simmer... for all fics really. **

**If the chapter was too chunky here... or kind of repetitive... Things get a bit slower from here before it picks up again. Any spelling, grammar, or the such... I typed this in in half an hour, Off of my phone. **

**Leave a review, or PM, and let us now, How was it, on a scale of one to one hundred ( one, let the fic burn in hell, one hundred, I'll rip your throat out if you don't update). Bai!**


	2. Chapter 2

**12/30/2113**

The opaque glass cleared out in certain areas to spell: "Termination office." The place where dreams of fighting in the war end. Seven total people stood in the room. Two founders, an officer, two cadets, and two ICG officers.

The first officer, the cadet's instructor, spoke first.

"Care to explain what happened?" He asked casually.

Jasper had the guts to talk first, "He did, he threw the first punch. Technically not a punch, but engaged me first."

"You denied access to a cadet. How would I have known you weren't AI?" Daric returned.

"Cadets don' get much a'ess to a'ywhere." Nathan replied defensively.

This erupted into argument, insult battle, and almost a fist fight.

The first founder, Hasley, spoke up and shut the foursome up.

"You know why the three of us are here?" She said, with a mellow tone. The four shook their heads.

Her younger brother, the founder of the ICG, spoke, "For one, a suit was practically destroyed. Two, a woman collapsed a kidney. All while the others were fighting a fight you weren't involved in. Long story short, two cadets and two officers broke code of conduct, causing two near fatalities."

Alia sat, arm around her abdomen, teeth grit. Daric stood, patch on his cheek, behind her. The twins sat next to each other on the couch. Nathan had a bandage around the right side of his head, and Jasper has some on his left elbow, where Daric bit him.

The third official, in charge of the files, said in a low voice, "You four now are under the mentorship program. Navarro twins, your contract with the ICG is terminated. Flord, Orlin, be nice to your students."

Daric shoved his palm into his nose. Nathan cursed fate. Jasper shook his head. Alia sighed. Hasler bit back a laugh, and her brother snickered.

"Twins, you'll join Unit 1519 but'll report to the two others. Chances are, Nathan's an AA defender, Jasper's a VIP bodyguard. Or spy." The younger official added.

"You two, both Elites. Infiltrator and Sniper. So, get your Centurion and ask him for his recommendation. Century 13 are all in Detroit, Michigan. The four of you will be deployed four days from now. You will have your suits, and weapons ready by then."

The foursome had taken it fairly well. Daric and Jasper had a poker face on, Nathan was expressive, and Alia was thoughtful.

"Isn't that on the front lines?" Alia asked.

"Yes. 1317 will rendezvous with you in fourteen days. Now, if will please leave Daric and I alone. I need to talk to him privately."

The five others stood, gave a salute, then left. Daric paced on the wooden floors.

"What's the real reason?" He asked.

"Behind what?"

"Why you put us as mentors, instead of degrading us?"

"It would teach the officers."

"You may have raised me for the past sixteen years, but you sure as hell can't lie to me." Daric spat.

"True enough. I may not be your mother, but I care for you. You used to be so cold. Quiet. Alone." Hasley's voice softened.

"I think I may have preferred it that way." Daric looked out the window, behind the desk. He looked out at the city of Tokyo, sun falling below the horizon. But the population just woke up.

"The world's changed so much in three decades."

"It has."

"So have you."

"Your efforts are useless."

"They don't call you 'Ice' for nothing."

"Why else?"

"You're the exact opposite of your brother."

"Jordan?"

"Who else?"

Daric was surprised at that last part. He expected it, but not so soon. He looked back out.

The citizens walking about, doing what needed be, or just having fun. Daily business, as if nothing was happening out in the west. As if it were peace time. It was rather funny, how, something that all of the world contributed to turned on them. They were all taken aback, and now united until this war ended. Or, that was a chance. But of course, there were rumors.

Rumors that New Rome was breaking off. Becoming independent. Cutting off all trade and communications outside the continent. They had the means and know how to do it. Hasley grabbed the remote of something, and turned it on.

The glass panel, actually a TV, flickered to life. News was on. The subtitle read, "Tensions rise north of Panama."

The reporter spoke, _"Tensions indeed do rise here, as yet another AI base was discovered on Jamaica. Officials from the Elimination Project confirm that what was once the United States of America, Mexico, and the Islands in the gulf are now known bases of the AI. Whether or not the_ _Project will rush the region in a full scale assault is unknown."_

Hasley picked up the phone. "Hello?"

_"Oh, and it looks like we're getting a call from the Elimination Project HQ. Hello?"_

"This is the founder. Any attempts to expose our plans will result in instant career terminations. Am I clear?"

The anchorman gave a nervous gulp. _"Yes ma'am."_

Hasley dropped the call and turned off the TV. Daric was gone.

* * *

"The 'ell?!" Nathan half yelled.

"Their systems are different. I know, it sucks, but the creator will never give us things we can't handle. I'm sure we'll be fine. First impressions are often wrong." Jasper did his best to calm him down. Inside he was boiling, because the one who electrocuted and told them to stand down was none other than their younger brother, Matthew.

* * *

Alia was already in her quarters. She grabbed her phone, which was coded to only have their unit, centurion, and general's numbers. She clicked on her centurion's icon, and typed in, "Si_r, this is A__lia Flord. Dr. Hasley has chosen to deploy me in four days. I ask for your suit recommendation. My given rank is elite sniper. If you may please reply as soon as possible. Thank you."_

The reply came within seconds. _"Well, it depends on your style. Majority of Snipers will pick the Sniper suit (hence the name). But that's for the less skilled snipers. The more aggressive ones will choose the Infiltrator, but looking at your stats, I'd go for something more capable of vertical distance. So, either take Airborne F or Airborne E, or the Albatross._

_F is made for long distance flights, capable of reaching deep space, but it's wings are very sensitive. E is made for speed, but requires reflexes and agility. The Albatross is a mixture of all. Flight capabilities, strength, enhanced camouflage."_

Alia smiled lightly, then thought of it. She was picking a suit for war. Where she could die. The depression hit her in the eye. She's going to die. Not even knowing who her sister is, no "Romeo" to her "Juliet. No family. But this is what happens in war right?

She shoved the thoughts out of her head. She stood, locked her door, and stripped down. Alia took a better look at her wound. Having gone through surgery yesterday, to get the kidney removed before it poisons her body, it healed fast. It was sore, and was slightly painful to bend down. She'd have to get used to it soon.

Alia turned to her wardrobe. She opened one door and pulled out a sport bra with matching panties. Putting those on she then turned to the internal suit. She pulled out a white pair, which wrapped tightly on her. There was slight pain around her abdomen, but it wore off quickly.

She opened a drawer on the side of the wardrobe, and pulled out some socks. She sat down behind a mirror, and put them on. Alia then turned to the mirror.

She was no material girl, but she wasn't a minimalist either. She looked into her own eyes. Or the contacts that made them look like a normal pair of light green eyes. She got up, and washed her hands on the sink. She took a light green case, which held the things needed to keep those optics clean. Alia pulled both out and rinsed her eyes.

She looked up. Into her mutated pair of eyes. Instead of the white being white, it was black. The light green was a luminescent green, the shade of the generic radioactive green. The pupil was white. The good thing about it was that she could see much further, and had some degree of night vision. On the negative, she looked like an AI, and had to hide them daily. But behind a suit, she wouldn't need to.

Alia sat back down. She picked up the hair coloring solution, and began to rub it into certain areas of her hair. She thought of her past again. More specifically, how she was described. The more obvious positive words came up. Sweet. Special. Arousing. Then ones of her personality. Cryptic. Romantic.

Someone before asked her why she was still single. Why she still had no one to love. To sleep with. She turned them all down. That was why. She hadn't given it thought until now.

* * *

**A/N:**** A little short yeah... getting busy again... hopefully I'll have something up by the end of this week. Leave a review, containing ideas, or really anything... Thanks, and BYE!**


	3. Chapter 3

**1/13/2114**

Saturday morning in Monroe, Michigan. The place shadowed the happier times. There were DuVarden scavengers and encampments here and there. And AI scouts. What ever appeared were mutilated by locals, or cleanly captured or executed by the soldiers. Over the past years, these troops were nicknamed different things, mainly by suits.

Airborne F's, were known as Eagles. Airborne E's were known as Vultures. Infiltrators and Snipers were Lions. So on and so on.

Nathan ducked behind cover in his new midnight blue Assault armor. Which, of course, was dubbed the Rhino. Mainly because they were pretty hard to kill.

Jasper leaped onto a building, still in his chrome Prototype suit. Of course it wasn't a prototype, it was named that because it was an unchanged prototype of the Airborne E. The suit had spikes on joints. Wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee, you get the basic idea. And what was it called by the world? A Porcupine. Obviously.

Then there were a shots, very quiet ones. Jasper looked at the AI scout. It leaked hydraulic fluid and lubricant out of several holes. Only two guns were that quiet, and only one made small holes like that.

The Hurricane. Which turned water into ice and shot them out of a sniper like barrel at speeds fast enough to pierce almost any metal. One main one was Gliesnatium, a metal discovered on the planet Gliese.

Jasper readjusted the pistols in his hands. He gave the sign of hesitancy. The second twin pulled the pistols close, not wanting to take too much space. Then he saw the grey boot that belonged to his mentor. The rest of his suit was mainly grey, with blue and orange highlights.

An Airborne F landed some distance behind Nathan. The Eagle had white and sky blue paint, making it harder to see in the sky. The Antimatter Jet, a sniper rifle that shoots streams of dark energy, nestled snugly between the Eagle's twin turbines on her back. Her javelin was in her hand, loosely hanging in her grip. And she showed some pride in her students.

The other, the grey Albatross, turned towards the Eagle. His nearly purple optics leveled at the three. His helm was sharp, and gave a slight form of a crown near the top. The face plate hosted the XianLu flag below his eyes, to his chin. The flag was pretty simple. Two small grey strips on the outside, two longer red ones between the grey but spaced apart.

His wings were smaller, but turbines much more powerful. The Hurricane was on his back, twin combat hooks locking the gun in place.

Daric twitched his head back, signaling them to keep going. He turned and crushed the nearly dead AI's head under his boot, giving a very crunchy sound. Nathan wolf whistled, to signal to the others in Daric's unit the clear. All ten others whistled back, and followed. Some in the shadows, sky, or open. Nathan climbed up to Jasper, curious expression behind his mask.

"Any'ing wrong?" Nathan asked as they continued their trip to Holland, Ohio, a good thirty five miles south south east, to meet up with the rest of Century 13.

"Just..." Jasper stopped, and his heart rate sped up. "Just feeling different. No Matt to watch out for. No sidetracking. You know." He lied.

"Oh." Nathan said, moving forward. "We got abou' a day to ge' there."

Jasper was walking, but his mind was thinking. And his heart was pumping. Jasper _had _shown hesitance. Because his heart began to pump again. For _somebody._ He sought love before. Before he was an orphan. After the death, he took point. Nathan had mental breakdowns. His mind had refused to accept it. He was gradual in letting it go, but still had moments.

Six years to get him from locking himself in rooms, to an almost normal person. And Matt and Noah can't care for themselves. Noah was an Infant. Matt barely was learning to fight. But six years later, Noah was in his studies, Matt in the ICG. So there was no time for romance.

There was barely room here. But it served enough. His heart pointed, and he's very reluctant to follow. Like a disoriented bird.

* * *

Daric lost his sense of warmth two weeks ago. Silence here, sadism there. Emotion free everywhere. He focused only on the road. And stopped. He yelled it on comm.

"Hunters." He hissed. Then the rest froze. Only those in the sky moved, counting three in total.

Hunters, are the result of extra terrestrials bonding with human AI. They are the only who speak human tongue, but only use batteries or human flesh for energy. They possessed agility, and heightened senses of smell and touch. They spoke, but only to sing lullabies as it hunts you down. But they were very sensitive to sudden changes in light, and is possible to kill one with a flash bang if they were in total darkness. And they can kill a hundred before being taken out by the Auto Rifle. The basic gun.

"Snipers, I need you ready to hit their knees. Everyone else, get some flashlights, or draw them out into the open. Eagle, Vulture, how many we got?"

_"No more than five." _

"Navarro, flank 'em. Attack from behind, but keep your eyes peeled."

_"Which one?" _

"Both." Daric shot one in the shoulder. It turned to him, called the others, and all began to sing. And stalk forward.

One of the team pointed a laser pointer into it's pupil, and the affected one recoiled greatly, hissing. There was a crack shot, who hit one in the abdomen.

Alia pointed her barrel at one of their knees. She fired a beam, and it went down quick. In the back, Nathan and Jasper had one in a blade fight. The rest of the unit open fired on the other two. One came to Daric, the other to the the rest of the unit, dodging, slashing, and hacking at the members.

Replacing the Hurricane onto his back, he pulled out both hooks, and took a defensive stance. The Hunter smirked, and released its natural talons and spikes. Daric experimentally slashed his right arm forward, and had the tip lightly deflected by the Hunter.

The Hunter, seeing this as a weakness, raised both arms, and dropped them, attempting to slash Daric. The defensive caught both arms in the hooks, and locked. The Hunter easily out powered him, and smirked again. And saw the turbines powering up. Daric smirked behind his mask.

The turbines went full power, and the two shot out, heading for a wall.

* * *

The Hunter frowned, and flung Jasper a good twenty feet, leaving him to hang on the edge of a building. The AI then launched Nathan in the same direction, but his weight reduced the distance.

The two knew next to nothing about Hunters, much less how to easily kill one. So Nathan rushed it, and gave it a normally bone breaking punch to the skull. The Hunter was shocked, and Nathan drove his combat knife into its thigh, making it audibly gasp. The Hunter clawed at his suit, leaving six deep scratches in the chest plate. Nathan stepped on its toe and shoved it hard. The Hunter fell over, Nathan's boot breaking its foot.

Nathan grabbed its lower jaw, and its upper one. The Hunter screeched.

Alia watched from her rifle's scope. Nathan's gloves turned from white to a pink-ish orange as he ripped the Hunter's head open. The Hunter was clawing at him, but the Rhino's armor was thick. His dying attempts didn't penetrate. Nathan turned back to Jasper.

Wiping his hand clean, he gave Jasper his hand to help him up.

"Sorry to leave you hanging." Nathan grinned. Jasper smacked him upside the head, as a concrete wall came crashing down in dust.

* * *

In winter, the night sky can get darker than Asphalt. 1317 Found the old Hotel, with two rooms still working. This was the rendezvous point. The two rooms were split by thirteen people. The Infiltrator was on the roof. Waiting for a signal.

Inside one room, Jasper was feeling... warm. Even after he washed his face in the still running water for the fourth time. To see a candidate for his love peacefully sleeping on a chair, it was the reason he felt warm. His cheeks were flushed. He woke in the middle of the night, and Daric was still on the roof.

Putting his helm back on, he sneaked out, and gracefully found a way to the roof. Daric was standing over the opposite edge. Watching something.

"You know what the plan is?" Daric asked, not moving.

"Only parts. One is what we did just now, and what we're waiting for. Another is something to do with a raid." Jasper said, standing next to his mentor.

"Century thirteen will be split again. All below twenty will raid bases. Ours will be in Fort Wayne. Ninety-five miles out west. We have a week."

There was silence.

"You have feelings for her don't you?" Daric broke the silence.

"Who?"

"Who else?"

"I do. I'll back off if you want. She's your's to begin with."

"We were never together. Go ahead. Try. And don't give up. She's a diamond, in more ways than one."

The sun broke the horizon, and the sky was flaming.

"So is this sight." Jasper stated.

"I agree." Daric's ever monotone voice said. Several points of movement were visible. A hundred flags came up, representing each Unit in the Century. One unit composed only of four people, and they are the highest ranking officers in the hundred.

"Wake the others up, and line them up out front. Centurion just called for a Captain's meeting."

Jasper nodded and went back to the rooms. He woke up one room by making the alarm clock go off. Crossing thresholds, Jasper went to the other room and woke them up gently, meaning to isolate the Eagle. Once the two were alone, Jasper bent down on one knee, and tapped Alia's knee repeatedly.

The female rose slowly. And Jasper saw her _real_ eyes. The white on green on black. Alia saw her eyes on a reflection on Jasper's chrome helmet.

"They look so well on you." Jasper commented.

Alia shut her eyes, and put her helmet on.

"Don't tell anyone." She whispered faintly.

"Never intended to. Rest of us are here."

Alia got up. As Jasper waited for her on the stairs, She smacked him with her wing, shoving him off of the top and down to the ground. The two vertical slits on her helmet over her eyes blinked, suggesting her giggling. Jasper rolled his eyes.

* * *

Daric entered a tent erected within three minutes. A data table stood in the center of the circular tent. The tent itself was at least twenty feet in radius. The unit of four owned a truck, to carry everything needed at rendezvous. Ammo, armor, food, you name it. Even a portable television. Just not a toilet.

Daric was the last to enter. The Centurion looked up from his tablet.

"Refreshments in the back." The Centurion said. "Now. As captains of your unit, you should know your plan. First off, casualties?"

All captains shook their heads.

"Good. Any city above our position has been secured by twelve and fourteen. Now. Captains zero to twenty, you know your points?"

The first twenty captains nodded. This was the weird thing about every hundred units. Centurions didn't command a hundred soldiers, they commanded a hundred units.

"The rest of you, scatter among the borders. Eliminate all hostiles. If you don't know the borders, the captains in the cities of Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Gary, and South Bend will direct you."

The map displayed on the data table erected pins on the said cities.

"We will give you two sentries when you collect any necessary supplies. Check in with your teams. Dismissed."

As Daric came out of the tent, he witnessed Jasper fall down the stairs. He rolled his eyes. The other units were dispersed at several places. Some out on the road. Some down below. The casual stride he had led him to the supply truck. He took the standard care package, with food and flares. He also took an extra clip for each gun in the team, as well as a backpack.

The sentries were balls, the widest part as wide as a standard land mine. Daric placed the care package in the bag, then the two sentries. He put the backpack down, and handed out the clips. Once that was done, he put his own clip in the last slot on his right thigh.

* * *

Night fell. Nathan adjusted the bag Daric had given him days earlier. Fort Wayne was secured, the sentries floated and roamed. Yes, they were balls in their offline form but once online they sprouted engines that ran on friction power. They had infinite power, really. The friction they used came from the axle that held the fans. Their ammunition was compressed air, and it's fire rate challenged the Hurricane's. The power that the air is shot at is enough to crack open a human skull from thirty seven meters away.

The sentries were controlled by humans, or more specifically the human's communicators. Remote control, basically.

Supply ships came every now and then. Reinforcements could be called, and a pod would fall out of the sky with another unit.

Nathan heard metal crunching.

"BREACH! At least twenty AI!" One sentry pilot yelled. Everyone suited up.

Daric's luminescent red optics looked down on them. _"Recall the remaining sentry. Get your explosives out, and red flares. We have brutes inbound. Versatiles, Heavies, pincer movement. Lights, get your rifles out."_

Eric, the team's largest, hefted his chain gun. Brutes were big. So was he. Brutes were dumb. He wasn't. Brutes were sensitive to thermal changes. He wasn't. So really, it's just attrition. He followed his section, right as a chain gun blasted through the front doors. They waited for the signal.

_"Pinch!" _Daric yelled over comm. The ten individuals surrounded the twenty AI, space and cover to their advantage.

The lights, Daric, Alia, Thomas, and Curtis sniped out the AI.

Below, Nathan leaped forward, onto a Brute's back.

David, a Versatile, yelled, "Rodeooo!"

The other AI didn't bother to turn around. Nathan charged his Mag Rail, a mid range rifle, and unloaded his clip into the AI's neck. The brute responded by collapsing. Another was about to grab Nathan, if it weren't for Jasper shoving him out of the way.

The result? Jasper was now captured and no one had a clean shot. Not even the snipers. All guns pointed to the remaining Brutes, who didn't fire. Curtis, the other Airborne, had his engine shot. He went down, but not before both engines exploded, effectively cooking the man. Alia touched down beside Thomas, still staring at the fireball that was once his brother.

_"Anyone have a shot?!" _ Nathan half yelled into comm.

"None." Daric said.

"Surrender." The AI said in his very robotic voice.

"Fourteen to four. Your move." Nathan returned.

"Correction. Fourteen to twenty six." An AI said. All looked up, to see an AI pod coming.

The first AI looked at Nathan, and said, "_Your move."_

Soon enough, the whole team but Daric was surrounded.

"Drop your guns. Then back away. " An AI said. The team complied when a sniper rifle was pointed at Jasper, barrel within three feet of his heart.

_"C'mon Daric..."_ Nathan threatened.

Daric heard it. He pulled out his Gravity Hook.

"If I take out the Brutes, can you eliminate the officers around you?" Daric asked over comm.

_"We can." _

"Is this what you want?" Daric asked Jasper on private comm. Daric aimed to pull a supporting beam with the hook. If it was successful, the brutes would be separated from the rest, and they could escape. Save one... Or twelve.

_"DO IT!"_


	4. Chapter 4

**3/15/2114**

_Two months ago..._

New Rome is... At it's... Golden age. Not the end of it. Just the beginning. The low class people were as rich as first class people during the worst of times. But rich can be used many different ways, right?

Right. The platinum blonde tilted her head back in laughter. She looked to the man beside her, his hair graying, but personality growing ever so vibrant. The stars on the mountain face were clear. A perfect night for a father and his daughter to relax. To get away from the city. Where they lived, walking was your best chance of moving around. With over six million people in the region Italy alone... It was expected.

The blonde shifted her jacket. She wiped a strand of hair away from her eyes, and stood. She smelled diesel.

_Bandits,_ she thought.

"We gotta go, Dad." She said urgently.

"What? Why?" Her dad refused.

The air whipped, and her father was bleeding out of his shoulder.

"Run." his raspy voice said. His final word. James fell to his knees, and over backwards... Down the mountain face.

* * *

Diane woke with a start. It had been four years. She was thirteen then. But the memory still lingers. Like a bad smell you can't get away from.

She's the oldest of her seventeen other siblings. Her mother walked into her room.

"Problem." She said.

"Don't start my mornings with problems, Abigail." Diane shot back.

"No respect. I ought to-"

"Ought to what?"

"Never mind. We need money."

"Get a job. Tell the others to get a job."

"I have one missy. But we have nineteen mouths to feed."

"It isn't my problem you have eighteen children."

Abigail slapped her daughter.

"You want to make money? I'm telling you, sell your body and you'll make thousands."

"I'm not like you, mother." Diane pulled on a pink tank top. She reached into her closet, and pulled out her father's necklace.

"You came from it." Abigail felt her blood boil.

" I already have a job."

Abigail chocked on laughter. "A useless one!" She released.

"I make more money than you in two months with me just one." Diane pulled on her boots. The hyper powered boots. She reached for the plates for her forearms.

"Killing people. That ain't what a woman does."

"Selling your body isn't what a respectable woman does." Diane chuckled. Her mother had a huge ego when it comes to how people see her.

Abigail hissed. Diane turned, and said," And I'll be more respectable that you ever was, is, and will be."

That did it for the older woman. She clawed at her daughter's face, but Diane caught it with her armored hand. She picked up her helmet and headed for the door. Abigail went to her room, and pulled out her husband's shotgun, still loaded. She rushed back out, and yelled, "Diane!" Before shooting the gun. Diane hit the floor.

* * *

_Now..._

Diane opened her eyes. Everything was white. She tried to move, but she was restricted by something she couldn't see. A nurse walked in with an eleven year old boy in tail.

"The system gave an alert when you moved. How do you feel?" The nurse asked.

"Like ten pounds of dung in a five pound bag. The hell happened? Where am I?" She ruffled her hospital gown.

"Your mother shot you with a shotgun... Every shot hit your back. And you're in the Central Rome Medical Facility."

"In the capital? Where's all my stuff?" Diane was suspicious.

The preteen opened a closet, and her suit and clothes were all there. With the weapons she owned.

"If you want to move around, you're going to have to take some medication. You can have the pills, an injection, or I can do it rectally for you. I'm a 'bi' anyway." The nurse said casually.

Diane gagged. "I'll take the pills."

An alert beeped on the nurse's tablet. "I have to go. Noah here will stay with you."

The nurse left, and the boy, Noah, gave her four pills and a bottle of water. Diane downed all of it.

"How old are you?" Diane asked, as the boy pressed a button on a remote. The restraints on her back raised, and she was free.

"Eleven. Noah Navarro." The boy outstretched his hand. Diane shook it.

She looked around. There were no rooms for her to change in, and judging by the population, going out wasn't an option. So she looked down her gown. She had her panties on, but that was pretty much it.

Diane turned to Noah. "Try not to look. The sooner I get out of this the better." She motioned to the gown. Grabbing her gown, she pulled it off, but faced away from the preteen. She slid on her bra, tank top, then shorts.

When she turned back around, Noah had his mouth open. She blushed, and asked, "What?"

"You work in the ICG?" Noah asked, noticing a small tattoo on the small of her back. The seal of the ICG.

"Not exactly, no. I'm allied, but not owned by them."

"Do you know any one with the name Nathan, Jasper, or Matthew?"

"How long was I out?"

"Two months." Diane expected more.

"I don't know any one with those names in the ICG, no."

"That all?" Diane asked after a momentary silence.

"NO-yes. I mean yes."

Diane raised an eyebrow. "Just tell me."

"You're hot." Noah put both hands over his mouth and hid in a drawer under the closet.

"That's the first compliment I've heard in three years. Thanks." She smiled.

Someone knocked on the door. The door slid open, gripped by a gloved hand.

An ICG officer in blood red armor followed the hand. The mark on his shoulder signified him as a Lieutenant. They gave each other salutes, and the officer removed his helmet.

"Matt!" Noah squealed in delight. The boy ran up to his fourteen year old brother.

"Matthew Navarro, I assume? Diane Leiondas." Diane nodded to him, and strode to the closet.

"It is. Any guesses why I'm here?" Matt put his brother on the couch.

"The ICG don't just go out and make people happy in the hospital, do they?" Diane paused. "It's got something to do with my record?" She began to put her armor back on.

"Wait, don't put them on yet." Matt took out a package from the bag he carried. " I'll explain later. These are just requirements for where we're going."

"You asking me to strip?" Diane joked. She complied. She trusted the ICG, as they had supported her family, but that offer was expiring.

"Noah, you're being discharged. The ICG's pulling you out to start training." Matt said as Diane put her gauntlet. The black jumpsuit matched her white armor. The original, Lion armor.

" An Infiltrator. From what they told me, you were a sniper."

Diane checked her systems. Grenades, discs and blades were there. She picked up her helmet and Sniper rifle.

"I'm both."

* * *

Matt led the boy and young woman to his brother's sedan. A red and black hybrid of a compact exotic car to a brutish pickup truck. Matt opened the front passenger door for her, and waited for her to get in. He then circled the front and sat in the driver's seat.

The vehicle's engine rumbled to life, and they were off.

"So... what's the plan here?"

"During deployment, half of the 14th was shot down by AI. The ICG and EP are looking for replacements. Mercenaries, officers, cadets."

"They think we're expendable?"

"No. Mercenaries and Cadets are unpredictable. Officers... are well, officers. We need to supplement unit 1456, as there was only one survivor. ICG took statistics, and the three of us are equivalent to his old unit."

"We?"

"I was chosen as well. Which reminds me, Noah, are you fine if I leave you with your aunt?"

"Nathan's girlfriend?"

"Yes, I have to leave you with Aerrielle. The ICG's agreed to put you two together as partners."

The rest of the ride spanned no more than thirty seconds. The school speed limits these days were eighty five. They arrived at the ICG's base in Italy. The sedan slowed to a stop, and Matt idled the engine. A woman, supposedly Aerrrielle, hugged the boy and waved to the other two as they left.

Diane looked at Matt. "Aunt?"

"Nathan and she are engaged. Wedding got delayed when he was moved to the EP."

"Where to now?" Diane asked.

"EP base in Pallud, France."


End file.
